Gladys Channell

November 20, 2012

Gladys L. Channell, 89, a resident of Elkins, passed from this life Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Hospice Inpatient Center in Elkins.

She was born Thursday, May 17, 1923, at Belington, the youngest daughter of the late Floyd Coontz and Mabel Larsen Coontz.

She was a graduate of Elkins High School.

As a loving wife, she will be greatly missed by her husband of 70 years, Paul E. Channell.

Together they enjoyed camping and many years of square dancing. They formed the Elkins Promenaders square dancers in the 1950s and later organized the Recyclers square dancing group at the Randolph County Senior Center, where they also participated in many of the Center's activities.

Gladys was a homemaker and an avid quilter. A gifted doll-maker, she was well known for her Cabbage Patch dolls. Another favorite hobby was genealogy. Over the years, she gathered extensive family history; and at one time, her documentation helped restore some marriage records that had burned in a fire at the Randolph County Courthouse. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Elkins.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Judith Ann Helmick and husband, Roy, of Cumberland, Md.; three sons, Edward Channell and wife, Kitty, of Ijamsville, Md., Ronald Channell and wife, Vivian, of Philippi and Donald Channell and wife, Pam, of Belington; eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and one sister, Florence Spivey of Greensboro, N.C.

Gladys was preceded in death by one sister, Nicolena Melbrada.

Gladys' request for cremation was honored. A graveside service will be conducted in Sugar Creek United Methodist Church Cemetery near Belington Thursday, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m. The Rev. Barry Moll will officiate, and interment will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made, in Gladys' memory, to the Hospice Care Corp., 169 Diamond St., Elkins, WV 26241. The Randolph Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been entrusted with the arrangements for Gladys L. Channell. Send online condolences to the family at www.therandolphfuneralhome.com.